Alton Brown

Gorgeous Large Electric Skillet

Time to Replace the Dinosaur in the Cupboard

by Joi

Large Electric Skillet

A few nights ago, I saw a really cool recipe on one of my favorite shows – Good Eats with Alton Brown. Alton made an amazing looking French Onion soup in an electric skillet. The soup looked so delicious I could practically smell it through the television. It made me anxious to try his recipe (all Alton Brown recipes are great) AND it reminded me that it’s time… way past time, that is.. to replace my electric skillet. I think it’s pretty safe to say that if anything in your kitchen looks like something Alice would use to whip up something for the Brady kids, it’s time to upgrade.

The Electric Skillet shown here is a great-looking alternative. It’s from Anna’s Linens and is available online only.

Features:

  • 12 x 15 inch cooking surface
  • Sturdy, tempered glass lid with stainless steel rim and cool touch knob
  • Glass lid to easily monitor food as it is being cooked
  • Easy to read, detachable, adjustable temperature probe (Warm – 450°F)
  • Deep interior for roasting or frying
  • Warm setting is perfect for keeping food warm on a buffet
  • Non-stick surface, eliminates the need for oil or butter
  • Easy carrying, heat resistant handles
  • Includes instructions with recipes
  • 1300 watts

Use the link (Electric Skillet) or the picture to take a closer look at this first rate electric skillet and be sure you check out Alton Brown’s French Onion Soup Recipe, it’s also first rate.

Cactus-Shaped Pan for Perfect Southwestern Cornbread

Plus A Lot of Cornbread Tips from a Straight Up Fanatic

by Joi

Cactus Cornbread Pan

My family is fanatical for cornbread, so I try to have it as often as possible.  It seems, for some reason that I make it more often in the fall and winter than I do the spring and summer. I guess that’s because my favorite meals to serve it with are chili and beans, which we have far more often in cooler weather.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy leftover  cornbread:

  • Coarsely (very coarsely) crumble or cut cornbread into chunks and place in a bowl or large mouth glass.  Add buttermilk and eat with a spoon.  I SWEAR this is absolutely Heavenly.
  • Serve cornbread the next morning with eggs.  You can warm the cornbread up on a griddle (with a little butter, of course) and place a fried egg smack on the top of it.  Or, simply eat it with butter and jelly as you would toast as a side.
  • Of course there’s the old school favorite – use leftover cornbread for stuffing!  All in all, I still favor it in a bowl with buttermilk. If you’ve never tried this, you seriously don’t know what you’re missing.

A few other tips about cornbread:

  • Buttermilk always makes the cornbread taste better than regular milk.
  • Use a cast iron skillet or pan for the absolute best cornbread or cornbread muffins on earth. Like buttermilk, it somehow makes a HUGE difference.
  • Green Chilies are a great stir-in addition to cornbread.
  • Like pancakes and brownies, cornbread batter doesn’t like to be manhandled. Just combine the dry and wet ingredients, and put the spoon down. Don’t even think about using your electric mixer.
  • The wet ingredients  activate the leaveners in the batter, so once you’ve combined the wet and dry ingredients, get it into the pan(s) and get the show on the road. Act fast, don’t doddle.
  • When using leftover cornbread (for the next day), keep it wrapped in the refrigerator. If you’re saving it for cornbread dressing or stuffing, cornbread can be kept in the freezer for 6 weeks.
  • If you’re making cornbread, in bulk, for stuffing, Jiffy Cornbread Mixes are excellent!
  • When making cornbread that’ll be used for stuffing or dressing, add a little sage to the batter.
  • Here’s a recipe for Cheddar Cornbread from Taste of Home.  I’ve actually never made cheddar cornbread but, after seeing this recipe, I’ll be correcting that oversight SOON.
  • Here’s an Alton Brown recipe for Creamed Corn Cornbread you’ll love.

Adding a little chopped jalapeno to your cornbread batter adds a lot of flavor – and it looks pretty cool too… especially when you make cactus-shaped cornbread, courtesy of the Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Saguaro Cactus Pan, shown above.

Product Features

  • Cast-iron cactus pan with 5 saguaro impressions for making cornbread and muffins
  • Preseasoned with vegetable oil formula and ready for immediate use
  • Cast-iron construction heats slowly and evenly
  • Nonstick, rustproof finish releases foods cleanly; hand wash only
  • Measures 15-1/4 by 1 by 5-3/4 inches (W x H x D); lifetime warranty

Amazon.com Product Description

Southern chefs will tell you that nothing bakes cornbread like a good cast-iron pan, and this Lodge Logic cactus pan is among the best. The vessel features a series of five saguaro cactus impressions, each measuring 4-1/4 inches long and 2-1/2 inches wide. The cactus shapes are clever and precise, with a pair of arms that extend out and up in the traditional saguaro manner. Meanwhile, the batter cooks beautifully thanks to the cast-iron material, which heats slowly but evenly and holds its heat far longer than stainless and aluminum rivals. The resulting cornbread cakes and muffins are cooked to the peak of perfection, with slightly crisp exteriors and moist, flavorful insides. It’s the perfect way to add a Southwestern touch to your chili and black-eyed pea recipes.

NOTE: Yesterday, I told you I’d be making the Cucumber Salad recipe for supper. It was beyond delicious.  My youngest daughter, Stephany, helped me in the kitchen last night and that’s always a special treat. We actually wound up doubling the recipe because we kept sampling so much as we went along!  The dill adds such a wonderful flavor to the fresh, crisp cucumbers. Outstanding.

Good Eats 2 Cookbook with Alton Brown Autograph

Pre-Order From the Food Network Store

by Joi

If you’re even half the Good Eats and Alton Brown fan I am, you’ll want to jump into this with both feet. Shoes on.

The much-anticipated Good Eats 2 by Alton Brown is ready to roll, which is great news in and of itself.  But there’s more. You get an autographed bookplate by the man who makes cooking fun – Alton Brown.  A lot of stars can be credited with making the Food Network the giant that it is, but – come on – none of them should ever be listed before Alton Brown.  Ever.

Product Description

1,000 full-color photographs and illustrations; bonus DVD included

Good Eats 2: The Middle Years picks up where the bestselling Good Eats: The Early Years left off. Showcasing everything Alton Brown fans (and they are legion!) have ever wanted to know about his award-winning television show, The Middle Years is chock-full of behind-the-scenes photographs and trivia, science-of-food information, cooking tips, and–of course–recipes.

Brown’s particular genius lies in teaching the chemistry of cooking with levity and exuberance. In episodes such as “Fit to Be Tied” (meat roulades), “Crustacean Nation” (crab), and “Ill-Gotten Grains” (wheat products), Brown explains everything from how to make the perfect omelet to how to stuff your own sausages. With hundreds of entertaining photographs, along with Brown’s inimitable line drawings and signature witty writing, this comprehensive companion book conveys the same wildly creative spirit as the show itself. – Food Network

Pre-Order your copy of Good Eats 2 from the Food Network Store today and have it shipped by October 8.

Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives: The Tripple D Phone App!

by Joi

My family and I are huge Guye Fieri fans. We all love the Food Network and have for years and years. Remember Gordon Elliott’s Door-Knock Dinners, the original Iron Chef, East Meets West With Ming Tsai, The Galloping Gourmet (great fun!), From My Garden with Curtis Aikens (Great food, great recipes, great personality – where oh where did Curtis and his garden go?!), Grillin’ and Chillin, Molto Mario, Nigella Bites, Too Hot Tamales, Ready-Set-Cook!, The Naked Chef, Pick of the Day, Food 911, and Emeril Live…. Live (one of the best shows ever – cooking or non-cooking)? Remember when $40 a Day and 30 Minute Meals were fresh off the stove? Remember when you first laid eyes on Alton Brown?!

Remember the first time Paula Deen charmed us all?! She still charms the paintings off the wall and Rachael Ray is still a breath of fresh air. And Alton Brown? What can you say about him? He could read a Physics book out loud and make it fascinating. He’d also make it understandable!

Uh, yeah… I’ve been a major fan of the Food Network for some time now. Over the past 5 or 6 years, unfortunately, some favorites have disappeared. Some chefs have wanted to ditch this or that show and move in a different direction, some have just fallen off the face of the earth – that sort of inevitable thing. Many have taken on new responsibilities and new shows and their original ones kind of fell by the roadside. However, the Food Network is extremely clever and darned good at what they do. They brought along Ace of Cakes and Guy Fieri and… in the opinion of this Food Network fanatic… saved the network. Most of the episodes on the Food Network are still can’t-miss television, even if we do miss a lot of the greatness from the past.

Guy Fieri is greatness in the present. He has a certain charisma, likability, and over-the-top charm that the Food Network needed JUST when it needed it the most. I’ll just be honest, some of the shows were beginning to put me to sleep! And I can’t say that the competitions are my favorite things to watch…. although I did love The Next Food Network Star.

Guy’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives is one of the funnest shows on The Food Network.  Guy has a way of bringing out the character in everyone he meets – making them almost as entertaining as he is.

If you’re also a Guy Fieri and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives fan, you’re going to love this: There is a new application dedicated to Diners, Drive-ins and Dives called Triple D App. It’s available on both iPhone and Android platforms. Miss an episode or two? Now you can see them right from your phone. Planning a Diners, Drive-ins and Dives trip of your own? Get a head start and see the menu (if available). Need directions? No problem, there’s a map to guide you on your way!

Come on, could this be any cooler? Click HERE for more information.

Food Network Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Season 1-3

Food Network Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Season 1-3

Food Network Fans in One Corner, Cablevision in the Other

by Joi

Are you a cablevision customer?  Do you love Food Network?  Would you greatly miss Alton, Paula, Rachael, Ace and Guy if they suddenly stopped coming into your living room?

If you’ve answered yes, yes, and you bet I would – it’s time to act before it’s too late.
Food Network may be dropped from your TV lineup.  That would mean no more Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, no more Paula Deen, no more Bobby Flay, no Alton Brown, no Rachael Ray and no more Ace or his cakes.  Good Lord! I can’t even imagine.

What can you do? Demand that Cablevision keep Food Network on the air by sending an eCard or calling 866-695-BEST.  Due to the high volume of calls you may receive a busy signal, just keep trying.   You can also  send an eCard.

Spread the word on Twitter, Facebook, to your e-mail buddies, and around your neighborhood.

If you rely on Cablevision for your television viewing (at this moment I’m EXTREMELY thankful that I do not), rally the troops and save this wonderful channel.  How ridiculous for cablevision to even THINK about ditching The Food Network.  I’ll bet a lot of the other ridiculously stupid channels aren’t even being considered.

Speak up and speak out!

For more information and to stay up to date on the situation, check out I Love Food Network.

Why You Should Be Watching the Food Network!

by Joi

Food Network Favorites As you know, I’m a huge, huge fan of the Food Network. Paula Deen, Ace of Cakes, Rachael Ray, Guy, Tyler Florence, Nigella Lawson, Giada, Alton Brown, and on and on. Love them all. I’ve also seen and loved every Search for the Next Food Network Star episode – fascinating!

This is simply a network that is frequently on in our household.  I got hooked when they first started rolling and I’ve been delightfully hooked since.

I often get e-mails from people asking what cookbooks and/or advice I’d recommend to cooking newbies – I give the standard advice you’d expect from me:

  • Use buttermilk in as many recipes as possible
  • Use butter instead of margarine as often as you can.
  • Read the recipe through ENTIRELY before beginning.
  • Season like you mean it, BUT go easy at first.  You can always add more but you can never add less.
  • Keep your cleaning tools clean.
  • Get creative, don’t fix the same thing over and over again!
  • NEVER use instant mashed potatoes, not even as a joke.
  • Fall in love with Olive Oil.
  • Learn to make homemade bread – especially sourdough.
  • Leave the biscuits in the can and the cans on the shelves.  Make your own biscuits.
  • Take pride in everything you make.
  • Experiment with different herbs and spices.
  • Rosemary loves chicken.
  • Basil loves tomatoes.
  • Use fresh ingredients.
  • Make meals more special with bright, colorful napkins and beautiful dishes (even if they’re disposable!).
  • You don’t have to spend a fortune to fill a belly. Buy in bulk and freeze what you don’t need… until you do need it!

These are the tips I dish out the most often.  Sometimes there are extra ones – I guess it depends upon where my brain is at the time.  I also list my personal “Must Have” cookbooks (which of course includes the Food Network Favorites, pictured above)  However, I always stress that one of the most important things a new cook can do (and should do) is watch the Food Network religiously.

There are several reasons.  For one, the cooks on this network are the best of the best.  Bottom line:  They know what they’re talking about!  Some of my favorite recipes, and the ones I use again and again, are recipes I first saw on the Food Network.

Another reason is this:  You’ll pick up on the excitement, fun, and passion for cooking that these cooks have.  It’s contagious and you’ll fall in love with cooking again and again and again.

When I first started this recipe blog (as well as the website), I kept a Food Network daily schedule to the side.  It became so much work that I stopped doing it.  However, it appears that I’m far from the only Food Network addict out there!  I’ve gotten so many e-mails from people wanting to have the updates again, that I’m going to start a daily “Today on Food Network” category.  Each day, I’ll post what you can watch for on that particular day.  They’ll be what I consider the BEST of the day – the episodes and recipes you won’t want to miss.

Today on the Food Network!

Tyler’s Ultimate – Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Butternut Squash Coleslaw with Honey Goat Cheese Dressing
* Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles
* The Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Crispy Parmesan Butternut Squash Chips
3:30, 2:30 C

Good Eats – Coconut Cake Revival
* Coconut Cake with 7-Minute Frosting
* Coconut Milk and Cream
* Coconut Extract
8:00 pm, 7:00 C

Good Eats – American Classics: Creole in a Bowl
* Red Beans and Rice
* Pickled Pork
8:30 pm, 7:30 C

Ace of Cakes – Cake-tastrophe
9:30 pm, 8:30 C

Avoiding the Dreaded Spaghetti Sauce Slide

by Joi

Basil is Love.

Click HERE for a little video featuring Curtis Stone. He takes the stand against adding oil to pasta as it cooks. I remember seeing a Good Eats episode where Alton Brown preached the same sermon. The boys are right, too. Sauce will adhere to pasta better when there’s a little stickiness to it. Oil and butter take that away, leaving you with sauce that tries desperately to hitch a ride to your mouth, but keeps sliding off!

Watch how Curtis serves it in the video, too. I’ve never taken his approach with cheese, but I assure you I will next time. I love the idea of parsley as well.

In Olive Oil’s defense, I do have to say that it’s quite healthy (eating a Mediterranean type diet is great for your heart and waistline) and should be invited to dinner frequently.   A nice change of pace from serving spaghetti sauce with pasta is to simply boil your pasta as directed, then splash a litte olive oil over it after you’ve drained the water.  Use your tongs to incorporate the olive oil throughout, making sure each strand is covered.

Coarsely chop fresh herbs and sprinkle generously.  I like a combination of parsley, basil (love, love, love basil), and chives.  Purists would slap me silly for not including oregano, but it detracts from my favorite child, basil.  If chicken’s involved with the meal in any way, I add Rosemary.  She is AMAZING with chicken.  Truth be told, she’s another favored child.

Just experiment with the herbage and I won’t be the least bit mad at you if you prefer oregano to basil.

Another way to work olive oil into the meal is in the bread basket – or at least near it.  Every now and again, when serving an Italian meal, I’ll bake, grill, or broil my bread unbuttered.  Then, I take a great looking  plate or platter and pour Extra Virgin Olive Oil into it.  Then I grab my beloved pepper mill and ground fresh pepper into the oil – covering front to back, side to side.

We dip our pieces of bread into the oil then shove them into our faces.

Oddly enough, I’ve experimented with adding ground herbs to the oil as well, but still prefer the basic, simple pepper approach.  I’ve never tried an Italian blend Olive Oil before, but it might just be sensational.  I’m pretty sure I’d still prefer the pepper and regular Olive Oil, though. Strange, I just noticed that I keep capitalizing Olive Oil.  I have no idea, whatsoever,  why I do that.  I guess I watched too much Popeye growing up (confession: I still do.).  Part of my brain must think it’s an alias for Olive Oyl.

Today and Last Night on the Food Network!

by Joi

Food Network Star - Final 4 Becomes Final 3 Clever am I.  Clever I am. Okay, well maybe just this once. 

For the first time I can recall I actually “called” the final four on a realtiy show – right from the start.  On the Food Network’s delectable show, The Next Food Network Star, I picked what I thought would be the final four on the first episode.  As the season went along, I grew even more sure of my picks.  The thing was, until  last night, I couldn’t figure out who the top three would be after that.  

Lovely Lisa and Adam been my favorites since day 1.  They have a cool kind of chemistry. I could see them going head to head in some sort of a Food TV series. I wouldn’t miss an episode. Love them.

I like that Adam’s kind of in his own little world. As someone who, long ago, bought similar real estate, I know where he’s coming from. When the judges commented that he didn’t even look at the reporter during the Throwdown challenge, I thought it was all over but the crying. I told my cat, “He’s cooking!” But as she pointed out, to be a Food Network Star, you have to cook and socialize.

She’s always right.

I also sweated when Paula called out Lisa’s Mac and Cheese. If there’s something we southerners know, it’s Mac and Cheese – so if Paula didn’t like it, my girl Lisa must’ve made some crummy stuff. Sigh. Lisa rebounded nicely, though, and I’m sure the next time she meets Macaroni and Cheese in the kitchen, she’ll whip it into shape.

She’s just so fresh, unique, and fun to watch She also has a wealth of knowledge about food and cooking.  I honestly could never get tired of watching her.  The only thing is, right down to the Dora the Explorer haircut and mischievous eyebrows, she reminds me of a little girl I used to babysit years ago.  Unlike Lisa, though, I quickly got tired of watching her!  M-E-A-N.  Adorable, beautiful little girl – looked like an angel.  But… M-E-A-N. One time her grandmother (who I loved) brought her over and she had her in the cutest little yellow raincoat. She had on little orange duck boots and was carrying a little brown teddy bear. I thought, “She’s one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. Awwww.” Then when the grandmother left, down went the bear, off came the raincoat and out came the mean. The awwww gave way to auggghhh. M-E-A-N.

I think Bobby Flay is perfect for this type of show.  He’s better with the contestants and in front of the camera than most reality show hosts on network television.  Also, how great is Susie Fogelson?! She should spend a lot more time in front of cameras than behind them or off to the side. She’s brilliant and has a fantastic personality and camera presence. The same can be said for Bob Tuschman. The three of them are what make this series so addictive.

Anyway, this has been an especially great season.  It helps when you have a couple of favorites.  Like Season 2 with Guy – My pick went all the way and look at him now.  Mr. Big Shot on Food TV with two shows.  He’s proven to be as big a spark as we all knew he would be.  When you combine a great personality with a big ol’ dose of individuality and good old fashioned know how, you usually come up a winner.

Speaking of winners, there are other chefs I never tire of watching.  A few of them are serving up great shows, themselves, today.  Check your local listings for the times, of course… just don’t miss the episodes below.

Emeril Live (remember, he’s doing his thing, via reruns, in the afternoon now): On an episode titled Southern Comfort, Emeril will be making – Pan-Fried Catfish Fingers with Lemony Tartar Sauce and Hushpuppies, Sweet Potato Pie, Country Fried Steak with White Gravy, and Sylvia’s Red Velvet Cake. I’m dying a little, here.

Tyler’s Ultimate – On “Ultimate Meatloaf,” Tyler’s making Meatloaf with Tomato Relish, Velvety Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Almonds. How extra incredible does Meatloaf with Tomato Relish sound?

Good Eats – Alton has two shows that can’t be missed tonight. Overachiever, much? The first one is all about meatballs and features Swedish Meatballs. The second one is all about dips (Guacamole, Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip, and an Onion Dip from Scratch). I only listed three of the dips he’ll make because the fourth one’s, brace yourself, Chicken Liver Mousse. I didn’t want to list it amongst the other three because, frankly, they didn’t do anything to deserve that.

Never. That’s when I’ll eat something with liver in the title. The fourth of Never. That’s when I’ll make something that would involve me looking at, smelling, or getting anywhere near liver.

We’ve got to end this on a good note, and since liver doesn’t know any good notes, I’d better tell you about one of the other “Can’t Miss” episodes today/tonight. I saved this one for last because of the whole “Joi’s obsessed with Buttermilk” thing.  On today’s Barefoot Contessa (the episode’s titled “Lunch for the Boys”) , she’ll make Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. As if that wouldn’t justify a stand alone episode, she’s also making a Brownie Tart, Brussels Sprouts Lardons, and Individual Meatloaves. Make no mistake about it, though the star of the show’s the Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes.

Food Network.com’s Amazing Memorial Day Recipes Section

by Joi

Memorial Day GraphicFood Tv.com (a.k.a. Food Network.com) has a delicious section filled with the most amazing Memorial Day recipes you could hope for.  But don’t take my foodaholic word for it, see for yourself.   Be warned, though, if you’re on a tight grocery budget (Aren’t we all these days?), you’ll be extremely tempted to throw the budget out the door.  I honestly want to make about 20 different recipes right now!

My printer’s trying to catch its breath and my own budget’s scratching its head, wondering if it ever really had a chance.  To answer its question, “No.  Not really.”

Some of the recipes you’ll want to seek out first:

Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad

Coconut Lime Pudding Cake

Grilled Bread

Summer Pudding

Blackberry Lemonade

Blueberry Lemonade

Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Grilled Mushroom Vinaigrette

Zesty Grilled Tilapia

Crab Cake Burgers

Mini Chipotle Burgers with Fire-Roasted Garlic Ketchup (!!!!!)

Mini Chipotle Burgers with Fire-Roasted Garlic Ketchup.  I just had to fixate on it a little longer.

 

Can’t Miss Recipes on Today’s Food Network

by Joi

There are a few episodes and recipes that can only be called CAN’T MISS on today’s Food Network. I won’t be able to be pried away from the set during the following shows for the following reasons!

A.M

Boy Meets Grill (Bobby Flay) – Green Rice (Ingredients include: chicken broth or water, roasted poblano peppers, stems, 1 roasted jalapeno pepper, cilantro, Kosher salt, vegetable oil, 1 Spanish onion, 4 garlic cloves, peeled and 1-1/4 cups long-grain rice.)

P.M.

Tyler’s Ultimate – Roast Turkey, Avocado and Bacon Sandwich (Ingredients include: thyme, tarragon, unsalted butter, turkey breast, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, bread, fontina cheese, avocado, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, maple bacon, lettuce, and butter.)

Good Eats – French Toast (Alton begins with a custard mixture of half-and-half, eggs, and honey – I’m already drooling!)

A Food Network show I’ve fallen hard for is Ultimate Recipe Showdown – great stuff. Tonight’s episode (after back to back Good Eats – always fun!) will focus on Cookie Recipes….also always fun! See the sidebar to the left for the cookies that’ll be made. I’ll be getting all kinds of familiar with the Pineapple Cheesecake Bar and Radical Rob’s Chocolate Chip Cookies recipes soon. I’ll let you know how great they are.

*************************

Hamilton Beach Bake Right 17 Inch Cookie Pan Champagne
Hamilton Beach Bake Right 17 Inch Cookie Pan Champagne

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